Goji berries: features and application

The human desire for health opens up new opportunities for achieving this goal.Finding a solution with fruits and vegetables can not always give the expected result, because other plant components such as goji berries come to the rescue. To properly apply them, it is important to have a sufficient amount of information about the characteristics of their growth, collection and preparation for use. Only in this case, you can count on the proper result from eating goji berries.

Recently, more and more often you can hear about such a useful food supplement as goji berries, but few know what it is. Their homeland is Asia, where these fruits are used as a healing supplement for more than one millennium. In Europe and Russia, it is also possible to find these miracle fruits, but they grow on trees or shrubs that are long familiar to us, which are called dereza. There are several of the most common varieties of them - this is common and Berber berry, which has the most useful composition and has a beneficial effect on the human body.

The tree itself is usually not too high and reaches about three meters in height, the berries in appearance strongly resemble barberries. Their color is ripe red when ripe, and inside there are black seeds. If we talk about the name, it went from China, from where it spread throughout the world. We call these fruits Tibetan barberry, Chinese wolfberry or wolfberry.

Flowering and fruiting time can occur at different times depending on the climate in which the shrub grows. Usually, flowering dates fall on the period from June to the end of August, sometimes capturing and September. Buds turn into buds in August and fully mature by October. No wonder another name for the fruit - "wolf berries", because they should not be plucked from the branches with their bare hands, otherwise the skin at the point of contact will darken much.

Since the benefits of goji berries are said very much, it is worthwhile to elaborate on which components are the basis of their composition and what the benefits are. Among the minerals emit:

• Potassium, useful for nerve cells, pressure and muscle tone. He makes a significant contribution to the correct functioning of the brain.
• Sodium is a component of the ion having a positive charge, which makes it possible to maintain optimal osmotic pressure and blood pH.
• Calcium is the main component for the health and strength of teeth and bone tissue, helps muscles to contract faster, has a beneficial effect on the performance of the heart, accelerates the process of passage of nerve impulses from cell to cell, is directly related to normal blood coagulation.
• Magnesium helps to actively conduct nerve impulses and maintain the rhythm of heart contractions, has a beneficial effect on the brain, maintains optimal blood pressure.
• Iron helps to carry oxygen with blood, is part of the composition of enzymes that are important for the body.
• Copper allows you to more quickly absorb nutrients from proteins and carbohydrates that enter the body with food. Also forms bone, cartilage tissue, has a beneficial effect on the skin and blood vessels.
• Zinc indispensable for proper growth and development of cells, helps to quickly grow nail plates and hair.

In addition to minerals, there are 18 more amino acids in the composition: valine, methionine, lysine, tryptophan and others. Another important component is vitamins, among which are C, E, B1, B2, B6, B12. Some of them have such a concentration, which is several times greater than in any citrus. In addition, there are poly-and monosaccharides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols, carotenoids and phenols.Due to the richness of the composition, it is difficult to refute the fact that the presence of goji berries in a person’s daily diet will make it possible to heal the body and strengthen its protective functions.

The plant, which is now known in the world as goji berries, originally grew in Asia. Even today, fruits from the province of Ningxia are considered the most qualitative and useful. Researches of scientists say that a very long time, more than five thousand years ago, common wolfberry grew everywhere, it could be seen in every corner of Europe and only then it came to Asia, where it received the greatest popularity and became in demand.

It is possible to grow common wreck on your own plot, as long as the climate conditions are suitable. For planting, you only need to purchase seeds that are not so easy to find, because there is not much hype on them. In Russia, goji will grow in the middle zone, where the conditions for them are most favorable. At the site they can be grown as ornamental trees and shrubs, but the fruits of such plants will be no worse than their Chinese counterparts.

The bush is not too big, but other plants should be planted at a distance of two meters from it. As for the soil, in this case, the views of gardeners differ, but the conditions in which the dereza bears fruit are quite specific: the presence of heat, winds and dry weather. Harvesting is best carried out according to the method used by the Chinese in the province of Ningxia - hitting the bush until all ripe berries are at the bottom. If you collect the fruit with your hands, you may experience unpleasant consequences, and black skin will be guaranteed. The use of machines in this case is a good option for mass cultivation, when you need to quickly collect a large amount of the crop, but machine cleaning badly spoils the berries, creating a lot of waste.

Caring for a shrub is not very different from any other fruit tree or shrub, because it blooms with warming and produces fruits at the end of summer. By the end of the active growth stage, the bush is pruned, which is usually done in late autumn. If you follow all the instructions and take care of the plant, then in a few years you can get goji berries, which will help to rejuvenate the body and feel much better.

Maize, grown at home, can reach three meters in height, and sometimes higher, while its crown is quite spreading and can reach up to six meters in diameter. The branches have a falling structure resembling willow, but they still have thorns. The leaves of the plant are small, light green shade. Dereza will be a real decoration of the garden from June, when the period of its flowering begins. A pleasant aroma reigns on the site due to small, but beautiful flowers of pink, purple and violet hues.

Three years after the shrub was planted, in addition to color, fruits with a red or orange shade and a length of about two centimeters begin to appear. To get the result from planting the plant, it is important to carry out the procedure in the spring and not in the fall, because the young bush will simply freeze. Dereza itself is resistant to the effects of cold and can withstand temperatures down to -15 degrees.

Goji berries look very similar to barberries and dogwood, but they have quite a few differences, which can be used to determine what fruits are in front of you. If we talk about dogwood, the differences will be that goji belongs to the tree species Dereza, and dogwood - to Kizilov. The common thing in both cases is that ripe fruits without appropriate processing are poisonous.

Also, goji berries are similar to barberries, in addition, there is one of the variants of their name - Tibetan barberry, which can cause some confusion in the definition of true fruits. Dereza with barberries are different shrubs, which differ in appearance, and the colors of berries. The foliage of each plant has significant differences, and the barberry fruits can be not only red, but also orange and yellow. Their taste is also different - dereza has a citrus aftertaste, which the barberry does not have.

In order not to be mistaken in the process of buying goji berries, you should pay attention to such indicators as the shape and taste of the fruit, as well as the cost and packaging of the product. The external similarity of these berries is observed only fresh, after the procedure of drying the barberry becomes darker, the color loses its saturation, while the goji remains in its original color scheme.

If you buy the product personally, you can taste it to understand what is presented on the counter. The barberries will be more sour, and the goji will be more sweet. The most significant difference that cannot be masked is the internal content. Thus, the barberry contains one stone of a sufficiently large size, and inside the goji berries there are small seeds.

Another important difference is the cost and type of packaging. Real goji berries are expensive and are sold exclusively in their original packaging. Often, inscriptions in the manufacturer’s language can sometimes be duplicated in English, but certainly not in Russian. Understanding these subtleties, you can protect yourself from buying low-quality or fake goods, for which you will be asked a lot of money, and you will not be able to get the expected result.

Many plants are useful for their fruits, because their correct use in reasonable quantities can improve the well-being and condition of a person. Since ancient times, mankind has discovered the beneficial effects of goji berries, and uses them to this day. Often, these supplements are traditional medicine, but rarely their use is scientifically confirmed, but not in this case. Scientists have investigated the berries wolfberry, after which all properties attributed to this plant were fully confirmed.

Among the main properties of the berries can be identified:

• providing fortifying and antioxidant effects on the body;
• promote tone and strengthen the immune system;
• pressure is normal;
• have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system;
• help improve vision;
• help in the work of the liver and kidneys;
• have a rejuvenating effect;
• can serve as a prophylactic against cancer.

The daily rate for a person is from 15 to 45 grams of berries. The procedure for their use may be different, but the simplest option would be to simply eat the fruits in a dry form. If the taste is not liked, you can put them in water, then add to the porridge.

There are several variants of what can be eaten with these healthy fruits:

• smoothies, for which fruit and berries are mixed with kefir or yogurt;
• berry tea, when berries are added to an ordinary drink and infused for about half an hour;
• a cocktail for which mint leaves, goji berries, tropical fruits are taken and all this is poured with grapefruit juice, then mixed in a blender;
• salad with berries, for which apples and nuts of different varieties are taken, which are mixed with each other and can be seasoned with yogurt;
• a wine with berries, for which a red dry drink and about 50 grams of berries are selected, they are poured into a bottle and placed in a dark place for several months.

The options of how and where you can add goji berries, many, and they are striking in their diversity. They are successfully added to various pastries, soups, meat dishes and salads, getting excellent results both in taste and in obvious benefits. So that the result does not disappoint, it is important to pay attention to the expiration date indicated on the package of berries that were purchased. They can not be stored for more than two years without losing their properties, because the date should be such that there is enough time for the use of the product containing the maximum benefit.

You can use goji berries in a wide variety of recipes, the main thing is to know how and what to do. At home, they can make a variety of drinks: tea, decoction, tincture, cocktail. For drinking tea, it is best to use a green variety in which six goji berries are added and infused for 10 minutes. For the broth is taken a spoonful of berries, which is poured into a liter of water, after which it is brought to a boil. After cooling, it is necessary to consume liquid up to four times a day in small quantities.

Infusion is best done in a thermos, where the berries are poured and poured boiling water. A few hours will be enough for infusion, after which you can drink the drink. It is recommended to take such a tool after eating and use no more than half a cup at a time. For the cocktail you will need to make some fruits, yogurt, honey and goji berries. To make the composition homogeneous, the berries need to be steamed, for which the microwave oven is best suited, in which it will be enough to hold them in water for about 30 seconds. All components are placed in a blender and whipped.

This additive is actively used for soups, in addition, they are combined with cereals: rice and oatmeal. Vegetable salads made from berries are very tasty and provide maximum benefit. Fans of useful sweets will appreciate the desserts in which goji berries will play a major role, enriching their composition and giving a pleasant aroma.

If you need to harvest seeds for the winter, you can make goji jelly, for which you need:

• about 100 grams of berries;
• about half a liter of well brewed karkade
• 50 grams of lemon juice;
• vanillin;
• some sweetener;
• gelatin - 10 grams.

The berries are soaked in water, gelatin is diluted and brought to a boil, after which all the ingredients are added. The finished composition is placed in the refrigerator and after curing is ready for use. If you need something with a longer shelf life, then it is worth making jam, which will include useful fruits. The main components can be any fruit at will, and the amount of goji will depend on the volume of finished products - the more, the more berries are needed. On average, no more than one spoonful of fruit is needed per liter.

In the event that a healthy diet is a priority, then it is worth trying to plant a wolfberry on the site and grow it to produce healthy fruits that will be available in the right quantity throughout the year. If there is such an opportunity, then it will be necessary to become familiar with how to dry the berries at home so that they can be eaten without risk to health. Drying goji at home is not difficult, the main thing is to set the optimum temperature and humidity, correctly selecting the place for the procedure.

The majority of those who tried goji berries speak of their magical action in the case of a struggle with obesity.Check the authenticity of each comment is not possible, because you should pay attention to those estimates, which indicate both positive and negative sides of the additive. Any component added to food may make an excellent impression on someone, and someone will only get worse from it, so it’s worth trying to introduce berries a little and follow the reaction.

Both ordinary people and scientists talk about the undoubted benefits of berries in the case of dealing with colds and viral diseases. You can find reviews about the positive outcome of the fight against cancer diseases. In general, about 60% recommend using such an additive in food, talking about its effectiveness. Among the advantages of goji mention the pleasant taste of the product, ease of preparation, versatility and the presence of a large number of nutrients. The naturalness of such an additive and the absence of chemical components in the composition are noted. Almost all women have noticed a decrease in appetite and weight loss.

Among the shortcomings most often emit a clearly defined number of berries, which is used for daily consumption, the inability to use the additive in any quantity, high cost, high probability of forgery. There are far fewer minuses than advantages, because if you wish and the opportunity, you should still try to please your body with obvious benefits, improve its resistance to viral diseases, raise your tone and add energy so that you have enough strength for all accomplishments.

After reading the reviews, you can get an idea of ​​the product, but only by trying it on yourself, you can get a complete picture of it and write your own impressions, which may be similar to most or drastically different from them.

See if the following videos help goji berries to lose weight.